What went right in 2012: Going into fall camp, running back was considered probably the position where Ole Miss was missing the most depth. Jeff Scott was the only proven running back, backed up by a pair of seldom-used veterans in Devin Thomas and Nick Parker and two freshmen in I’Tavius Mathers and Jaylen Walton.

Mathers and Walton emerged as viable options in August, and Randall Mackey’s move from wide receiver gave Ole Miss a surprising option in the backfield. The trio that was good enough that when Scott was limited with a back injury (that caused him to miss the opener), the coaching staff felt confident with the options beyond him.

Scott did return, and ended up as the team’s leading rusher for the second-straight season. Hugh Freeze’s offense suited Scott in that it allowed him to show off his explosiveness, especially when combining with Bo Wallace in the team’s read-option package. He had three 100-yard games in his first six, and a fourth where he ran for 95. But for a month teams took Scott away by filling the lanes and running him out of bounds. Scott rebounded in the Egg Bowl with 111 yards, but the season was still somewhat disappointing for him. Scott flirted with the idea of entering the NFL Draft, but ultimately chose to stay in school.

In the BBVA Compass Bowl Scott was injured early on. In his stead, Mathers gained 96 yards and Walton 56 in their most significant action in months.

Offseason agenda: With Mackey’s graduation, Ole Miss lost a bigger, durable back that could also catch the ball out of the backfield. Some of Ole Miss’ most consistent offensive plays were those in which Scott and Mackey both lined up in the backfield. Namely, Ole Miss has to find his long-term replacement (and if he could be capable of lessening the load on Scott, all the better).

Dodson (a midyear enrollee who will participate in the spring) and Mathers get a head start on the rest (Walton, smaller than Scott at 5-8, 167 is more suited to the backup/return specialist job). Both Dodson and Mathers are between 5-10 and 5-11, and just a shade under 200 pounds. Blocking was a concern the coaches had with Mathers last fall, limiting his touches. How can Dodson do picking up the same ends and linebackers, as well as figuring out how to run against college defenders?

With their arrival in the summer, the speedy Kailo Moore and bruisers Jordan Wilkins and Eugene Brazley add to the mix. If one has the capability to help (perhaps Wilkins, a late add to the recruiting class and the biggest of the incoming recruits at 6-1 and 210 pounds), they’ll get a chance in August.

Ole Miss sophomore running back I’Tavius Mathers gained 96 yards in the BBVA Compass Bowl. Was it just the start?

Best guess for 2013: Ole Miss running backs coach Derrick Nix is on the record as saying he wants Scott to get between 15-20 touches (carries, catches, returns) a game. That’s where they think the senior can be the most effective without wearing down over the long season.

So someone, or someones, is going to get a significant amount of carries in this offense next season. Mathers, as a sophomore that dominated as a prep start in the Nashville area, seems like the most likely candidate. He simply has the edge in experience and time spent in Paul Jackson’s conditioning program. The BBVA Compass Bowl could be a sign of what is to come from him.

There has been a lot of questions about Ole Miss adding four prep running backs when it already has Mathers and Walton as just sophomores. The thing about high school running backs is that they are often the best athletes on their teams, and are good candidates to move to receiver or defense. Expect one or two to quickly find a home elsewhere, as the depth chart shakes down.

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About The Author

Hugh Kellenberger has been the Ole Miss beat writer for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger since August 2011. You can also read his work in-print, online at ClarionLedger.com and on Twitter (@hkellenbergercl).